


sweet creature

by blazeofglory



Category: Lost
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Developing Relationship, Drunk Texting, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-19
Updated: 2017-06-19
Packaged: 2018-11-16 02:36:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11244585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blazeofglory/pseuds/blazeofglory
Summary: Jack is a med student, Boone is an undergrad philosophy major, and everyone finally gets to be happy.





	sweet creature

**Author's Note:**

> Title from the Harry Styles song!

Jack wouldn't say that he had a type. Honestly, he rarely dated, and he'd only ever had one serious relationship before. Of all the women he'd been with, the only defining characteristic that they'd all had in common was that they were all  _ women _ .

In undergrad, he'd dated Sarah for the better part of two years. She was sweet, and kind, and wanted to be a teacher. Jack had always known that he'd end up being too much trouble for her, with too much baggage and too terrible flaws, but it still hurt when she ended it. There had been a few girls since, but nothing serious-- not because he wasn't over Sarah; more for lack of interest. And, frankly, lack of time. 

He was still incredibly busy, because med school was a bitch, but. Well. His curiosity was piqued now.

Jack liked to think of himself as an open-minded guy. He'd tried all sorts of things-- drinking, drugs, and even ill-advised morally dubious tattoos. He didn't have a type when it came to dating; he was open to any woman he had a connection with. 

Boone was, by all accounts, not a woman. 

Even beyond that, Boone was so different from anyone Jack had ever been with, no matter his gender. He was too pretty to be in Jack's league, first of all. And he-- he was just... he had his head in the clouds. Boone's mind was always wandering, and his heart was so fucking big, and he was kind in a different way than Sarah had been, but he was still too  _ good _ to ever pair well with Jack. 

There was a  _ connection  _ there, though. Jack couldn't overlook that. 

They had friends in common, so they were together often enough, though rarely alone. Without the influence of Sayid, they never would've met-- after all, Boone was an undergrad philosophy major and Jack was a second year med student. But Jack knew Sayid through Desmond, who he knew through Charlie, who he knew through Claire, his step-sister. The connection between Jack and Boone was complicated and tenuous at best. On paper, they should have nothing in common. 

They _ did _ have things in common; that was the real kicker. Once, drunk and rambling at one of Hurley’s many parties, Boone had confessed a dozen memories and complaints about his childhood and his overbearing parents-- and god knows Jack could relate to that. Jack had hesitated in that moment, then told Boone about the paralyzing fear of failure that he felt every single day of his life. Boone had understood that too, and Jack didn’t really have the words to say how important that was. 

It was also impossible to ignore the way that Jack felt himself looking at Boone. His eyes lingered too long on Boone's strong jaw and pink lips, he was transfixed by Boone's arms in a cutoff tank, and... he had a really spectacular ass. Jack couldn't stop himself from wanting Boone even if he tried, and after the initial confusion of wanting a man for the first time, he was pretty much at peace with it. 

He wouldn't act on it, though. Not because Boone was a man, but because Boone was too  _ good _ . He deserved someone just as good, and Jack could never measure up. Jack would only ever drag him down. 

But Jack, of course, had no idea how Boone felt about any of this. 

 

-

 

Boone fell in love fast and easy. Any hot guy who was ever nice to him, Boone fell in love with him a little bit. He'd always be briefly infatuated, almost to the point of obsession, before eventually getting over it and moving on. The guys were usually straight and uninterested; when he had the luck to fall for a gay guy, he usually ended up being boring in the end anyway.

Jack was different, because of course he was. After the initial crush and infatuation, Boone had fully expected his feelings for Jack to calm the fuck down. They hadn't. 

Jack was  _ amazing. _ He was such a good guy, and always helping people, and really, what was more noble than becoming a doctor? He was even a natural leader, to the extent of taking it upon himself to organize their monthly poker night with all their friends, which was a tall order, considering how many of them there were. And there was just  _ something  _ about Jack that made Boone trust him, made him want to open up and spill his secrets, made him want to wake up next to him every morning... 

The feeling had to be love. The  _ real  _ kind, the Charlie and Claire kind.

Sometimes, Boone tried to convince himself to get over Jack, despite how amazing and how  _ hot  _ he was, because Jack was  _ straight _ . But then, Boone could never fully convince himself that Jack was  _ really _ straight after all. Boone wasn't blind-- he didn’t miss the way Jack looked at him sometimes. Maybe Boone was wildly misinterpreting it somehow, or maybe Jack really did want him; either way, it was clear that Boone would have to be the one to do something about it. 

One night, wine drunk with Shannon and feeling way too confident after acing his last philosophy paper of the semester, Boone texted Jack. 

B: are you busy??? 

Jack's reply came only a matter of seconds later, prompt as ever. Boone grinned down at his phone, resolutely ignoring Shannon's snort at his uninhibited excitement. She had no room to judge, honestly, especially since he had to deal with her and Sayid being ridiculously cute around each other most days a week. 

J: Never too busy for you. What's up? 

B: just drunk and thinking about you 

J: Thinking good things? 

Boone hesitated for a second, but he was in no way sober enough to  _ not  _ say something stupid. He downed the last of his wine, licked his lips that were surely stained purple, and spared a second to hope that he wouldn’t regret this too much in the morning.  

B: wishing you were here 

J: If I didn't have to be at the hospital in the morning, I'd come over. Are you with Shannon?

B: mmmmhm, she provides the wine and I provide the good company 

J: Haha of course you do 

B: you love my company 

J: Yeah, I do 

Boone's heart skipped a beat. Jack had to realize that this was flirting, right?  _ Right _ ? Jack was a smart guy, he  _ must _ realize what he was doing. They were always friendly with each other, sometimes to the point of teasing, but this level of blatant flirting was new. Boone was going to test its limits. 

B: what would you wanna do if you were here? 

Boone watched the ellipses show up and disappear a few times, like Jack kept writing and rewriting his text. He looked over at Shannon, hoping for some sort of encouragement that Jack wasn't going to spectacularly reject him, only to find that Shannon was sound asleep, the empty wine bottle nestled in her lap. Lightweight. 

J: I think I'd want some of that wine 

B: enough liquid courage and you might finally kiss me? 

Jack started typing. Then stopped. Then started again. Boone screwed his eyes shut, trying not to panic, until his phone finally vibrated once more and he let out a sigh of relief. 

J: I don't need liquid courage to kiss you 

B: then why haven't you? 

J: Boone... We should probably talk about this when you're sober. 

Fuck. Boone took a deep breath, then another, and willed his heart to stop racing. This didn’t necessarily have to be bad-- he could still have a chance. Well, he’d never really thought that he’d ever have a serious chance, but it seemed like he could now. Somehow. Maybe. 

B: if it's just because you're straight, like, I get it? but if you're not actually straight, then why not?? 

J: I think I'm bi. But we're friends. I don't want to mess that up 

B: you can fuck me and still be my friend in the morning 

Boone felt a little like he was going to throw up. It was several long minutes before Jack replied; Boone spent the time snapchatting videos of Shannon snoring to Sayid. When even that got boring, he scrolled through Instagram, which was 90% pictures of Sun and Jin’s baby and 10% pictures of Sawyer’s cat. They had all given up on making fun of Sawyer for being obsessed with his cat after a few weeks-- she really was super cute. Maybe Boone should get a cat… He startled when his phone finally vibrated again, three times in quick succession. 

J: Let's talk about this tomorrow. 

J: I want you. Don't think that I don't, okay? It's just complicated. 

J: I care about you, Boone. 

It wasn't a rejection. Whatever the hell it was, Boone wasn't exactly sure, but it wasn't a rejection. Jack  _ cared _ about him, and that had to mean something. Jack never said anything that he didn’t mean; that was one of the million things that Boone admired about him. 

B: tomorrow. I care about you too. obviously 

B: and I want you too. even more obviously 

J: Good. Goodnight :) 

B: goodnight Jack :) 

With that, Boone abandoned Shannon to her snoring and the inevitable crick in her neck, left the mess of pizza boxes and wine bottles in the living room to clean up in the morning, and went to bed. He rarely remembered his dreams, but the second he closed his eyes, he was sure that he would dream of Jack. 

 

-

 

All through his morning shift at the hospital, Jack couldn’t seem to get Boone off his mind. He’d considered texting him half a dozen times, but he knew that Boone was undoubtedly hungover and didn’t have class until the evening, so there was no point in hoping for a response before noon at the earliest. Jack wasn’t even sure what he would say. Did Boone even want him sober? And, maybe more importantly, did Boone only want him to have sex? 

Jack was, obviously, not adverse to the thought of sex with Boone--though it did make him nervous, because how could he be good at it if he’d never been with a guy before? But that didn’t really matter right now, because Jack didn’t  _ just _ want sex with Boone. He wanted to date him, properly, like he’d dated Sarah--except with, ideally, a better ending. Or no ending. But that was getting way ahead of himself. 

Noon drew nearer and Jack’s shift finally ended, so he headed home. For the first few minutes of his walk, he stared at his phone, willing it to light up with a text from Boone, but all that came in were several snapchats of Kate’s face with various filters on it. Jack gave himself kudos for being such a good friend that he didn’t even screenshot the one that made her look like an alien. 

After another minute, Jack figured,  _ to hell with it _ , and called Boone. The phone rang and rang, and Jack was prepared to hear Boone’s familiar voicemail--Boone’s too-loud voice declaring that he couldn’t come to the phone and the message getting cut off halfway through saying he’d call whoever back. It always made Jack laugh. 

The call didn’t go to voicemail though; after what felt like an eternity, Boone picked up. His voice was groggy and deep as he said, “Hello?”

“Hey, Boone,” Jack responded, a hint of nerves in the way that he started to speak just a little too fast. “Do you want to get lunch? We should probably talk about, uh, yesterday.” 

Boone was quiet for a second, except for the sound of rustling sheets and a tired yawn. Then, sounding much more awake, “Yeah, just… I need to shower. Can we meet at the diner in like half an hour?”

It was probably a sign of how far gone Jack already was that he was smiling at the mental image of Boone laying in bed, rumpled and sleepy. “Let’s make it an hour, I want to stop at home to change first.” 

“Yeah, okay,” Boone replied, yawning again. “See you.” 

Jack bit back a smile, trying and failing to tamp down his nerves and excitement. “Bye, Boone.” 

When Jack got home, he was quick to shower and change-- so quick that he’d be insanely early to lunch if he left right away. He sat down heavily on his couch, glancing around for something that could entertain him. Sawyer, his unfortunate roommate, was nowhere to be found, and even his cat was off hiding somewhere. Jack picked his phone up again, stared at it for a second, then called the one person who could always calm him down. 

“I’m busy,” Kate said in lieu of  _ hello _ , and Jack rolled his eyes. 

“No, you’re not,” he replied easily. “You hate your boring internship and you love a distraction.” 

Kate huffed a quiet laugh, then acquiesced. “Okay, you’re right. What’s up?” 

“Do you remember when I told you about that, uh,  _ thing  _ with Boone?” It was a vague description, but Jack knew that Kate would get it. 

“The thing where he owes you five bucks for coffee last week, or the thing where you’re gay for him?” 

“I’m not sure why I call you,” Jack mused out loud as he stared up at his water-stained ceiling. How had those spots even gotten there? “But, yeah, the gay thing.” 

“What about it?” Kate asked with another laugh. 

“I told him. Well, he sort of hit on me while drunk, and then I said some things, and now we’re going to lunch to talk about it,” he got out in a long-winded rush. 

“Wow.” 

“That’s it?”

“I’m processing,” Kate replied, and Jack would bet money that she was rolling her eyes. “What are you going to say to him?”

“I don’t know,” Jack admitted, sighing loudly. “I guess that I want to date him? If he wants to?” 

“Of course he wants to,” came Kate’s immediate reply. “He basically worships you.” 

“You’re exaggerating,” Jack protested, just like he always did when Kate said that. He found himself smiling though, because, well-- it was good to hear anyway, whether it was true or not. “You really think he’ll say yes?”

Kate sighed in feigned exasperation. “Yeah, Jack. He’s going to say yes.” 

 

-

 

Boone felt like death warmed over. The shower helped a little, and he was grateful for not vomiting, but his head was pounding and he felt like he’d barely slept. He downed two bottles of water and four ibuprofen, hoping for the best, before he finally ventured out of his bedroom. He was immediately hit with the smell of cooking eggs, and though he half-expected that to make him feel even more sick, it didn’t, which bode well for his impending lunch. 

“It’s 12:30, you lazy bum,” Shannon said, without turning around from where she was facing the stove. Boone was positive that Shannon had no idea how to cook, so he assumed that Sayid, who was standing next to her, inexplicably wearing her fluffy pink robe and avidly watching her poke at the eggs, was actually doing the bulk of the work. 

“Do you want breakfast?” Sayid offered, turning to Boone with a half-smile, as if trying to apologize for Shannon’s hungover bitchiness. Luckily, Boone had been dealing with her long before Sayid showed up and he stopped being phased by Shannon’s moods years ago. 

“No, thanks,” he answered easily while he checked under blankets and pillows and pizza boxes on the couch, looking for his wallet. It was wedged between a couch cushion and the leftover crust of a half-eaten slice of pizza; he made a mental note to clean up later. “I have a lunch date.” 

That finally got Shannon’s attention-- she abruptly turned around, grinning. “You’re going on a date? Does this have anything to do with drunk texting Jack last night?” 

Boone couldn’t help but grin back, even as he shrugged to feign nonchalance. “Maybe.” 

“About time,” Shannon replied, which could have been vicious if her smile wasn’t so soft. Believe it or not, but she could be a good sister sometimes. “Now go change into a blue shirt, it’ll bring out your eyes.” 

As Boone dutifully returned to his room to go change, he heard Sayid chuckle and Shannon say something that he didn’t bother straining to make out. He smiled to himself; they sounded happy. 

Boone wanted to be that happy too. 

 

-

 

“I’ll be honest, I’m not really sure how to start this conversation,” Jack said with a rueful smile over his plate of pancakes. Across the table, Boone was still looking decidedly nervous, but he smiled at Jack’s words. He looked exhausted, as Jack had expected, though no less devastatingly attractive than usual. Any lingering fear that Jack might’ve had about not really wanting this was gone. He was sure. 

“I should probably apologize for the drunk texting,” Boone offered, looking a little embarrassed. 

“I didn’t really mind,” Jack responded easily. He was never really  _ great  _ about talking about his feelings, but he was determined to try this time. He really,  _ really  _ wanted this to work out. He glanced around the diner-- at the dozen or so students scattered around, the one harried-looking waitress, and his and Boone’s mostly-full plates of breakfast food. He took a deep breath. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about my sexuality.” 

Boone nodded attentively, even while he took a sizable bite of his syrup-smothered waffle. 

“So, I think I’m bi,” Jack said, refusing to let himself stare down at his food, but instead to meet Boone’s eyes. “I’ve never, you know, done anything with a guy, but. I want to.” 

Jack was forever grateful that Boone’s face was an open book-- he could easily interpret surprise and excitement and… a frown. Boone was frowning. 

“That’s great, Jack,” Boone said, and he sounded like he meant it. He was still frowning, though, and Jack felt the pit in his stomach expand. “It’s just-- you want to try stuff with a guy? And I happen to be the gay guy hitting on you?” 

Jack wanted to interject, but Boone kept going. “Wanting to experiment is fine and, uh, natural and stuff, but I don’t… I don’t want to be your experiment.” 

While Boone took a long drink of water, Jack got his thoughts in order. It seemed like all his worries had been for nothing; Kate would gloat forever. 

“I’m not experimenting,” he said after a long moment, voice serious. Boone’s eyes snapped up to meet his immediately. “I haven’t done anything, but I  _ know _ that I want to, and I don’t have to try it to find out. You know I don’t really do casual, Boone.” 

“What do you want, then?” The frown on Boone’s face was gone, replaced by a tentative smile. His eyes were impossibly blue and bright, and he was  _ blushing _ , and god, Jack wanted to kiss him. 

“I want to date you,” Jack said simply, an honest smile on his face. 

“Holy shit.” Boone’s voice came out in a whisper, like he was floored by Jack’s declaration. “You’re serious?” 

Jack couldn’t help but chuckle a little. “Yeah, I’m serious.” 

“Jesus, Jack.” Boone was full-on grinning now, radiant across the table. “I’m in, I’m  _ so  _ in.” 

Oh, thank god.

“Then this is our first date.” 

“I’ll make sure to tell my diary,” Boone quipped. He was still grinning; Jack was half-tempted to ditch their food and drag Boone home where he could kiss him to his heart’s content. 

“Dear diary,” Jack began, in a terrible imitation of Boone’s voice that had them both immediately laughing. “Today, I nursed my hangover and had my first date with my new hot doctor boyfriend. Love, Boone.” 

Boone’s laugh was so carefree and loud, which attracted the attention of half the restaurant, but neither of them gave a shit. 

“You aren’t a doctor yet,” Boone pointed out through his lingering laughter, and Jack shrugged sheepishly. “Also-- boyfriend?” 

“Too fast?” 

The smile had yet to fade from Boone’s lips-- his heart was on his sleeve, just as surely as Jack’s was. 

“A little,” Boone answered. He reached across the table, and Jack stared down at his hand for a second before realizing what he wanted-- he extended his own hand, and Boone fit their palms together. “But I like it.” 

Jack squeezed Boone’s hand, so warm and strong in his own. This felt  _ right _ in a way that not many things ever did for Jack. He wasn’t second-guessing this, he wasn’t doing it for anyone else, it wasn’t something that was expected of him; this was finally something for himself, something that  _ he  _ wanted. He wanted Boone. 

Jack took a moment just to look at Boone-- at the way the sunlight filtering through the window lit him up, made him  _ glow _ , at the electric blue of his eyes, at the carefully maintained stubble and rolled-out-of-bed hair, at those pink lips shiny and sticky with syrup…Maybe Jack did have a type, and maybe it was just  _ Boone _ . There was a sweet smile on Boone’s lips, one that Jack found himself matching. 

His next thought came unbidden but not entirely surprising--  _ I could fall in love with him.  _

 

-

 

Dating Jack was one of the easiest things that Boone had ever done. 

Jack was really, really busy. He worked weird, long hours at the hospital, and he still had regular lectures and homework too. Luckily, Boone was a flexible guy. He tried to get all of his essays and assignments taken care of while Jack was busy, so they could be together whenever Jack actually had the time. Most nights, they ended up just curled up together on Boone and Shannon’s couch, marathoning Netflix shows and making out intermittently. 

“It kinda blows my mind that I’m the only guy you’ve ever been with,” Boone said one night, grinning cheekily up at Jack from where he was cuddled up against his side. 

Jack snorted a quiet laugh, half smothered by Boone’s hair. “Is that good for your ego?” 

“Oh, absolutely,” Boone replied with exaggerated enthusiasm. “I’ve loved getting to show a baby gay the ropes.” 

Jack was quiet for a second, then abruptly burst out laughing. 

“I’m a baby gay?” Jack laughed even harder. “Boone, I’m like-- I’m older than you!” 

Boone pulled back from Jack’s side to properly witness his bubbling laughter. Jack was always a good-looking guy, yeah, but there was something about him like this, all smiling and laughing and happy, that  _ did _ things to Boone’s heart.  

“You didn’t know you liked dudes until super recently, babe,” Boone responded. “That makes you a baby gay. Or, technically, a baby bi.” 

“This is insane,” Jack said, still smiling like a lunatic. 

“I did have to teach you how to--”

“I figured it out really fast!” Jack interrupted, and that set them both to laughing again. 

“You’re a quick learner,” Boone acquiesced. At his words, Jack’s smile softened into something sweet and vulnerable. 

For a second, Jack looked like he was about to say something, but instead he leaned in, and Boone leaned in too, and Jack kissed him just as gently as he had the first time. 

Even as he heard Shannon come in the front door and immediately start complaining about them kissing on the couch, Boone didn’t pull away. He could feel Jack’s smile against his lips, and that was something too precious to ever put an end to. 

Boone didn’t think he would ever get tired of this. 

**Author's Note:**

> What am I doing, writing fic for a ship that was never popular and hasn't been on tv in over a decade?? Who is going to read this????


End file.
